Page 262 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WOODPECKERS AND WRYNECK
Order Piciformes Family Picidae Species Dendrocopos major
Great Spotted Woodpecker

large red cap on red patch on back
male (smaller on white shoulders of head
female)
bold black
large white and white
shoulder patch upperparts
barred wings
bright buff
MALE underside
IN FLIGHT
JUVENILE

MALE

FLIGHT: fast, springy bounds, deeply undulating, large vivid
with short bursts of whirring wingbeats. red patch
under tail
he common woodpecker in most areas, the no red
TGreat Spotted announces itself in spring by a on nape
loud drumming: a rapid, abrupt “drum roll” made
by hammering the bill against a resonant branch.
It uses its stiff tail as a prop, so that it can grip
a branch while resting upright against it. Its grip
is secure enough to enable it to hang beneath
a branch without the help of its tail for a time.
Careful observation is required to be sure of FEMALE
woodpecker identification where several
woodpecker species overlap.
VOICE Loud, hard, explosive tchik!, less often fast,
chattering rattle of alarm; loud, fast, very short drum.
NESTING Digs hole, diameter 5–6cm (2–2 ⁄4in), in
1
trunk or branch of tree; 4–7 eggs; 1 brood;April–June. NUT FEEDER
FEEDING Finds insects and larvae beneath bark, The woodpecker uses its stiff tail
digging them out with strong bill; also takes seeds and to help secure a good grip on a
berries; visits gardens for nuts, seeds, cheese, and fat. basket of peanuts.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Inhabits mature woods and even
SYRIAN WOODPECKER small bill scrub, locally visiting gardens, all
32; see p.437 round no
head shoulder over Europe except for Iceland,
patch Ireland, and extreme N Scandinavia.
different Some migrants from N Europe
neck pattern paler much move south and west in winter,
under tail smaller
turning up on open islands at times.
MIDDLE SPOTTED LESSER SPOTTED
paler under tail WOODPECKER 32; WOODPECKER 32; Seen in the UK
see p.261 see p.262 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 22–23cm (9in) Wingspan 34–39cm (13 1 ⁄2 –15 1 ⁄2in) Weight 70–90g (2 1 ⁄2 –3 1 ⁄4oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan 5–10 years Status Secure
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